Gas generator



`,Patented Sept.l 4, 19.23.y l

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRI HERNU, oi1 MEUDON, FRANCE..

GAS GENERATOR. y

Appiication filed .my 2, 1920.*7ser1a1 No. 393,674.

(GRANTED UNrER THE PEovIsIoNs or `THE Aer or MARCH s, 1921, 41 STATSL., 1313.)

To all whom t mag/*concern f Be it known that I, HENRI HERNU, a citi# zen of the French Republic, residing at Meudon, S. and O., in the French Republic, have inventedn-e'w and useful Improvements in Gas Generators (foriwhich I have filed an application in France, Patent No. 493,681,

Dec. 9, 1918), of which the 'following is aV specification.

My invention relates to gas generators, and'it is my object toproduce a. gas genera? tor with compensated vaporization and temsmetallic hearth lined, ,or not, with retractory materials) r; f

3. In simultaneously using both arrange-A ments byplacing a vaporizer at the base and another above the hearth.

None or' these arrangements insure an uniform or constant composition of gas for very'variable deliveries such as those par-- ticularly required :torv motor vehicles.

In order to enable the principle, on which the generator constructed according to this invention is based, to be understood, it is useful to examine the phenomen which oci cur in the hearth oit the generator vduring variations of gas supply required byY the motor of a vehicle.

The hearth is divided in two superposed parts, the lower portion 'forms Zone of reaction oi the oxygen and vapor oni the carbon, Vwhile in the uppepzone is produced the par-tial distillation of the fresh coal.

Ina well designed apparatus, the lower or reaction zone should be capable of using up or burning nearly all the l*oxygen or air admitted to the hearth during normal working of the -motor, while in the Vupper part slow combustion'occurs by reason of the small quantity of oxygen which escapes from the reaction-Zone. f

It a larger supply of gas is required, the greater velocityj oiair drawn throughthe lowerpart of the hearth will no longer admit of nearly complete reaction, so that an Y excess of free oxygen reaches the upper` 'f composition of gas.

dianand upper parts of the hearth where the temperature varies sensibly with the fluctuations in the production of the gas, while the lowermost zone lmust remain practically invariable to insure a constant For this purpose it is necessary that the quantity of. the vapor reaching the base of the hearth should always-be proportional to the volume of gas `generated.

The. invention is shown by way of eX- ample, in the accompanying drawing in vertical section through the axis of a generator embodying the principles hereinbefore stated, said ygenerator being connected vwith a motor not shown for driving a vehicle. 1

As rvwill be seen from. the drawing, the generator comprises a hearth whose outer part A is furnished with .refractory material B resting on a crown C the'lower por! tion of which may be constructed so as to form a quick vaporizer at the moment of lighting. Y

The part B ot the hearth forms what may be termed a cup-shaped reaction Crucible situated above a dished fire-grate or grid.

rllhe upper part D forms the vaporizer which surrounds the hearth and comprises a rdipping cone-shaped collar DX situated above the hearth to realize one of the prini ciples stated.

In tact the lower cylindricalfportion D ot thepvap'orizer D which surrounds the hearth in the upper distillation zone causes the vaporizationfto vary by reason of the tem- Yperature of this Zone, which temperature temperature in the lower part of the hearth,

that is to say in the reaction Zone.

This vapor passes, through the intermediary of adown-tube E into a horizontal chan- The steam vapor` sok nel F communicating With the atmosphere at its opposite end G Whose size of opening can be regulated by a shutter H.

The channel F torins, at its centre, an annular conduit l Vwhich places it in coniinunication with radiating channels d, 'tor-ined, for facility ot construction, iii the arms ot a grid-carrying receptacle K; these channels can likewise be orined of radiating tubes leading;v out at the periphery or the receptacle K which is iitted with a suitable grid or dished lire-grate KX.

T he receptacle l( is carried by a shait whose height is regulated troni outside by a scrciv threaded stein and handivheel M actuating` a. bellerank lever M, oi' by any other appropriate nicans Wherebyi vertical displacement ot this receptacle can be obtained.

A plate N connected With the receptacle K, torins a valve Whose seat K1 is constituted by the upper extremity of the conduit I.

This arrange-nient permits the air admit ted, around the 1e ipliery ot' the receptacle :LX: by reason of the arrival .in opposite directions of air and steani vapor, which tivo fluids beconie thoroughly niixedin the conduit l before their passage through the hearth. This condition is indispensable to obtain a iinitorin distribution oiC heat in the loiver part oi the hearth in order to ob tain a of homogeneous composition.

, he air saturated With steam-vapor is directed towards the perighery ot the grid KX when the plate fi rests on the conduit E, or saturated air in variable proportions can pass upwards between the arins K1 ot the receptacle K and through the interstices otV the grid according` to the ainoiint of litt ot the receptacle K and plate N above the conduit I. Gas required icor driving' tie inotor (not shown) is drawn olli through a pipe V connected with the upper part ot the hearth Vbeneath the collar DX of the ifaporizer.

Carr Tins,V rece ataele K and can be raised into the position, indicated by dotted lines, by

to the hearth to be perfectly saturatedV ineans of lever lj, or by any other appropriate mechanical means.

lriiially the arrangenie t is coinplcted by a fuel-feeder torining eover'to the vaporizer K oil fuel carried the supply clianibcr TF7 can be intermittently discharged into the Jiuel storing rooin i above the hearth.

l: claim;

Vl. 'ri generator divided into a 'furnace Zone, areaction zone, and a vaporizino:` zone, and consisting,` in a dished a superA posed cupsliaped reaction grucible havingY a refractory lining and an upwardly increasing diameter, an annular vvaporizer ivith a dipping cone-shaped collar seated on said crucible, a fuel-feeder forming cover and fuel supply chaniber to the hearth, steain outlet troni the vaporizer integral .vitli the covering' li'uel-feeder, pipe-connection troni Ysaid outlet to the underside ot the fire-grate and opening". to the atmosphere, and a gasdelivery beneath said. cone-shaped collar.

2. ln a gas generator, divided into a turiiace zone, a reaction Zone, and a ifaporizing zone, furnace, a dished hre-grate therein, a grate-carryingreceptacle formed or' holloiv radiating conduits .tor distributing` a inixture of steain and gas towards thev periphery ot the grate onlv and forming a Valve, and ine-ans connected With'the base ot the said receptacle iorined `salve tor distributing the inixture over the ivhole surtace oi"v the grate.

3. In a generator divided into a tun nace Zone, reaction Zone, and a vaporizino Zone, a furnace. a dished lire-grate therein, and a vertically displaceable Lguard surrounding the grate to retain the `fuel.

HENR HERNU.

arni also 

